Moonshine Story

[carol333]

Excellent writing, Carol. Captivating style.

I love those old times, but I'm glad I live now. Thanks!

[Saltbush Bill]

They left the boiler uncovered until the beer heated to a rolling boil, then Hargis and Piney set on the cap and sealed it with Lucie’s special paste. Not long after boiling began, the thump box sounded like something inside was pounding to get out.

Maybe someones already pointed this out , but you would't want to do that..........your loosing good alcohol there.

[Tater]

They left the boiler uncovered until the beer heated to a rolling boil, then Hargis and Piney set on the cap and sealed it with Lucie’s special paste. Not long after boiling began, the thump box sounded like something inside was pounding to get out.

Maybe someones already pointed this out , but you would't want to do that..........your loosing good alcohol there.

Old timer would stir the mash till it got to temp to keep from scorching.then cap and run.

[goose eye]

youd also wanna put a rock on top the cap cause the back pressure from the doublein keg is to much for just your biscut to hold. dern thang will lope on you an cause for a long nite. if you gona double an twist then mostly aint no problem forgetin the rock but
some folks make it a habit.
wana say to your likker aint stronger usein a doublein keg. you can have low wines first out in the high 170s or so dependin on your cider an how your cap is made but it gona start dropin then drop like a rock. with your keg it mite come out in the 140s or so
an hold steady for a while before slowly dropin

so im tole

[carol333]

They left the boiler uncovered until the beer heated to a rolling boil, then Hargis and Piney set on the cap and sealed it with Lucie’s special paste. Not long after boiling began, the thump box sounded like something inside was pounding to get out.

Maybe someones already pointed this out , but you would't want to do that..........your loosing good alcohol there.

Old timer would stir the mash till it got to temp to keep from scorching.then cap and run.

Appreciate the correction: I'll use this!

[carol333]

youd also wanna put a rock on top the cap cause the back pressure from the doublein keg is to much for just your biscut to hold. dern thang will lope on you an cause for a long nite. if you gona double an twist then mostly aint no problem forgetin the rock but
some folks make it a habit.
wana say to your likker aint stronger usein a doublein keg. you can have low wines first out in the high 170s or so dependin on your cider an how your cap is made but it gona start dropin then drop like a rock. with your keg it mite come out in the 140s or so
an hold steady for a while before slowly dropin

so im tole

''too much for the biscut to hold" --do you mean the cap would blow? And what do you mean, 'lope on you'? (I don't know the lingo). I guess it would have to be a heavy rock, about as much as a man could lift?

double and twist? Something different from using the thumper? So many names for everything. Yikes.

[Dnderhead]

normal distilling there is no back presser ,when using a thumper there can be.and this back presser can blow the cap off the still unless its held on some how. some put a rock on top ,some a chain/board over it.double and twist is running 2 times at a take off rate that produces a "twist" or spiral as it leaves the "dick" (the spout of the worm)
most of these words are slang and are regional, sort of a code and may vary from place to place.

[Truckinbutch]

You could probably get some hands on experience here in WV if you'd like . Especially if you are the Carol that once lived in the Baxter area of Marion county .

[TOAD]

That post should really have been a private message, Butch.

[goose eye]

carol get you a straw an a jar put the straw in the jar an hold it off the bottom bout 1/2 inch an blow gentle now repete with bout
1/3 full of water then on up. now blow hard like it a rollin boil. the back pressure an the vibration of the doublein keg will work your cap loose if all you got is a bicut you got to put a rock on it all dependin on your outfit an how you chargein your outfit. now when that cap works loose even a wee little bit or you got a leak you aint gona have a steady stream of likker its gonna wanna lope. - spit an sputter- . you workin a still there a rethem to it. its like your ying an yang is in balance if it lopein then it takes a couple of your sences away. now if you workin it yourself dipin water an all you gonna be playin catch up instead of letin everything flow. - makes for a long nite- .you work one long enough an you just no where you should be an where it should be cause it just is if it aint you gonna be wore slam out an only run a couple barrels.

edit thought they was usein suger.
ole boys wouldn't be tastein for likker like that . after the first taste it nums your taste buds. theyd be readin the bead or tossin alittle on the fire to see if it flamed up to get all the likker cause they quit keepin the good likker at backins but there still likker left to add to next charge. if she aint tastein no likker she well past backins an a pint of backins will mess up 5 gal of good likker.

I aint never run no likker I aint never gona run no likker an like folks is bragging bout where they live is likker capital. they right it there an aint here an aint no need for no law round here cause aint none bein made

so im tole

[Dan Call]

The "Lincoln County Process"

My family seat is in Winchester TN, Franklin county, they owned large tracts of land, and lived in that area as early as 1682. This is only a few miles from where Jasper Newton Daniel (aka Jack Daniel) was born and grew up. There was an exceptionally large amount of commercial distillation going on prior to the Civil War, imagine distilleries as common as mechanic garages. Jack Daniel was a small time player early on. Even in his own county he and his early partner, the reverend Dan Call, were amongst the smallest commercial distillers. I could tell you story after story about all that. My family was not engaged in the commercial distillation business, they were the gentrified land owners, doctors, lawyers, and senators.

I did want to point out an interesting story though. Jack Daniel whiskey is know for the "charcoal filtering." He did not originate it and it was a widely known process that is credited to Lincoln County, TN. It is the idea of filtering finished white whiskey through maple charcoal to remove "the dog's breath," as they called it. Jack Daniel was actually taught how to distill from a farm slave called "Uncle Nearis." The Lincoln County process was first used by slaves. Back in these times, the master of the plantation would rarely, if ever, actually make the whiskey on his farm, the slaves did. As a consequence, the slaves were much better at making whiskey than white people. So this "unique, patented, blah blah blah" that JD blows on and on about was something learned from slaves.

I've always found this to be a fascinating story.

[carol333]

The "Lincoln County Process"

Jack Daniel was actually taught how to distill from a farm slave called "Uncle Nearis." The Lincoln County process was first used by slaves. Back in these times, the master of the plantation would rarely, if ever, actually make the whiskey on his farm, the slaves did. As a consequence, the slaves were much better at making whiskey than white people. So this "unique, patented, blah blah blah" that JD blows on and on about was something learned from slaves.

I've always found this to be a fascinating story.

Good story, Dan.

[carol333]

Finally - the moonshine story is close to publication. I'll let you know when it's available. I credited this forum in the Acknowledgements, so I hope I got something about the process right!
Here's the story blurb and a photo of the cover, if I can figure out how to include it.

When feisty Wanda Wyatt is left widowed, penniless, and disturbed by recent fits of rage, she turns to the one person she hates ─ her grandmother, ex-moonshiner Lucie Bosell. Lured by a vague invitation, she travels back to her mountain roots with two goals in mind: money and revenge. But at what cost? Prohibition has come to West Virginia, and with moonshine worth more than ever, Lucie wants in on the action. Playing along, Wanda finds that being as mean and deceptive as Granny hurts her chances with a compelling man from her past. Worse, the old woman’s high-stakes business attracts ruthless people and big trouble. Wanda learns the hard way--revenge is cold comfort.

[Richard7]

Looking forward to reading it Carol. Good Luck.

[Truckinbutch]

+1 on looking forward to the read .

[LWTCS]

Good luck Carol,
Hope ya make a buh-zillion dollars on your book.

Cheers

[carol333]

Good luck Carol,
Hope ya make a buh-zillion dollars on your book.

Cheers

Thanks, but do people ever make big $$ doing what they love?

[blind drunk]

What LW said. Congratulations.

[LWTCS]

Hope so....Some where.

[FullySilenced]

I hear that JK Rowlings woman did....

Good luck Carol,
Hope ya make a buh-zillion dollars on your book.

Cheers

Thanks, but do people ever make big $$ doing what they love?

[Truckinbutch]

Good luck Carol,
Hope ya make a buh-zillion dollars on your book.

Cheers

Thanks, but do people ever make big $$ doing what they love?

Has worked well for a number of authors that choose to make it work and devote their lives to nothing else . I write for my own enjoyment and some folks like what I write . Bein tied to a 3 book deal to get into the $ just didn't appeal to me .
It's a personal decision for every writer .

[carol333]

Finally, the moonshine story, Cold Comfort is published! Thanks to all for your help and encouragement. The details I used were general, not meant to tell folks how to make moonshine. I cited this forum in the Acknowledgements - so readers can come here if they want to know how!

Here are links to the book:

Kindle ebook - http://amzn.to/18KjU6f
Nook ebook - http://bit.ly/15WR5jJ
Print book - https://www.createspace.com/4472961

The above are 'short links.' If they don't work, see the links on my website: http://www.carolervin.com

Thanks again. You guys are a hoot!

[Truckinbutch]

Good news I'll be contacting my bookseller this week about ordering one . That is , unless you would consider a sale by private treaty of a signed first edition

[SoMo]

Hey what ever became of this post, Carol, and cold comfort. I've enjoyed reading this post and her chapter. I also gotta say kudos to everyone for being so kind to someone trying to learn and re tell a topic and questions that would have gotten a Noob shredded. Good work guys. Melloman

[TDick]

I just ran across this thread.
Carol never came back. I guess she was too busy writing because she added 5 more books to her series.
I may have to check out Cold Comfort:
"Cold Comfort" Mountain Women Series Book 2